12 
THE CUCKOO’S SECRET 
“As a result, it is not difficult to understand 
that the Cuckoo is regarded by many people as 
being absolutely distinct from all other species in 
its habits and as possessing many extraordinary 
endowments to assist it in its parasitical methods of 
reproduction. 
“ The difficulties in obtaining any conclusive 
information on many points are, indeed, so great 
that it is not easy to see how they can be overcome. 
In addition to the initial impossibility of identifying 
one female from another, the male in this species 
unfortunately resembles his mate so closely that it 
can only be distinguished from a distance by the 
note, while its polygamous habits and the fact that, 
unlike other birds, it is not more or less tied down 
to the vicinity of its nest, makes observation of any 
specific female, and a computation of the numbers 
resident in any district, an almost hopeless task. 
“ Consequently, it seems that if we are ever to 
solve the problem it must be by a combination of 
lucky chances, and by carefully piecing together, 
as in a detective mystery, the various clues which 
come into our possession ; and it is thus of great 
importance that no available information shall be 
overlooked or remain unknown.” 
Now this “ combination of lucky chances ” 
undoubtedly fell my way. At the same time 
similar opportunities should be available to any one 
